Greek farmers allegedly claimed EU subsidies for non-existent livestock

Greek farmers may have claimed European Union subsidies for tens of thousands more livestock than officially recorded in the country for 2024, according to an analysis of government data by Politico. This discrepancy raises concerns about the integrity of the subsidy system.

The analysis highlights a significant gap between the reduction in the national cattle herd, as reported by ELSTAT, Greece's statistical agency, and the number of subsidies processed by the Greek Ministry of Agriculture. This finding challenges recent assurances from the Greek government regarding reforms and enhanced oversight in the agricultural sector.

Minister of Agriculture Margaritis Schinas stated in June that Greek livestock farming was entering a new era of rules, transparency, and reliability. However, the data inconsistencies suggest that the government faces a considerable task in gaining full control over the issue. The Ministry of Agriculture reported that subsidies were paid for approximately 260,000 lactating cows in 2024, a figure confirmed by the ministry itself. Typically, a lactating cow produces one calf annually, which should correspond to a similar increase in the national herd.

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Greek livestock farming is turning a new leaf. It is fulfilling its obligations to the EU and entering a new era in the agricultural sector – an era governed by rules, transparency, and reliability.

While the ministry's data indicates around 70,000 cattle were slaughtered for meat production in 2024, for which subsidies can also be claimed, Greece does not publish comprehensive data on animals removed from herds due to age, reduced productivity, or illness. Three Greek cattle breeders told Politiko that such removals typically account for about 20% of the total livestock population annually. Given ELSTAT's estimate of approximately 600,000 cattle in Greece in 2024, this would imply a reduction of around 120,000 animals. This figure, when considered alongside the subsidy data, suggests the national herd should have grown by approximately 70,000 animals that year.

Instead, ELSTAT's data from annual surveys shows a declining national herd: from about 640,000 in 2023 to 600,000 in 2024 and a projected 520,000 in 2025, according to data released in June. Nikos Dimopoulos, president of the Kavala Livestock Farmers Association, believes the discrepancy could be even larger. He noted that some slaughtered animals might have been imported rather than removed from the national stock, as Greece is a net importer of live cattle. "There is no oversight, and we cannot have an accurate number because precise data does not exist," Dimopoulos stated, adding that authorities conduct only random checks or initiate investigations after a complaint is filed.

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There is no oversight, and we cannot have an accurate number because precise data does not exist.